Metal-working machine.



N. E. CLARK.

METAL WORKING MACH|NE.

APPLICATION FILEI DEC.2Z, l9l4.

Patented July 13, 1915.

O IN

IH F11 NOR/RIS ELMORE CLARK, OIF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

METAL-WORKING- MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Judy T3, T915,

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 741,376, filed January11,1913. This application filed December 22, 1914. Serial No.878,604.

To all 'whom it 77mg/ concern Be it known that I, NoRRIs ELMORE CLARK, acitizen of the United States of America, and residing at Plainville, inthe county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented new and-useful Improvements in Metal-VVorking Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates particularly to the step of slitting inthemanufacture of what is commonly termed expanded metal.

The main object is to provide simple mechanism for slitting regularlyand accurately as set forth in my Patent #$79,130.

Another object is to provide mechanism which is adapted to form strandsof difterent widths.

Another object is to provide mechanism which can be used for slittingsections of a sheet and leaving unslitted strips of greater or lesswidth as desired.

Another object is to provide means for punching the unslitted sectionsof the sheet if desired. l

Another object is to provide mechanism' which can be cheaply made andreadily set up and taken down and in which the up keep is smallj Theinvention contemplates the use of a minimum number of rigid cuttersrigidly held so as to avoid chattering, uneven work and consequent wearon the cutters. ln the preferred form of the invention the cutting edgesare formed on wedge-shaped blocks and are so arranged that as thematerial to be cut is fed longitudinally step by step successive seriesof oppositely inclined rows of short slits in staggered arrangement areproduced. These cutter blocks are reversible and interchangeable both inthe movable and in the stationary dies.

Figure l, is a vertical longitudinal section of the preferred form ofcutting tools adapted to be mounted in an ordinary reciprocating presspreferably of high speed, with short stroke and double roll feed. Fig.2, is an end view and partial transverse vertical section of the cuttingtools. Fig. 8, is a plan view of part of the lower die cutters,strippers and lifter plates. Fig. 4, is a bottom view of a. part of theupper inc vable dies. Fig. 5, isa perspective view showing one of thecutters and the dogs for anchoring the ends of the cutter' to theholder. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a fragment of the upperreciprocating holder with a punch for perforating between the slittedsections.

rl'he stock is preferably fed into and out of the machine by suitablerolls (not shown) operating intermittently. .The stationary die cuttersare carried by a bed holder 5l and the vertically movable tools orcutters are carried by the vertically reciprocating gate holder 50. Thegate (not shown) is reciprocated in the usual manner common for pressesof this type.

The cutters 52, 52 in the preferred arrangement are laid out so as toslit a series of expansible sections such as 20, leaving the edge 2l andthe connecting strips 22 unslitted. Each slitted section is made up of aseries of rows of strands such as 23, Qi and 25, 2G inclined toward eachother. The adjacent strands of the series 23, 24 are connected togetherat a plurality of points such as 2T and QS and the strands of the otherseries are similarly connected to each other in staggered arrangement sothat the sections are extensible. AThe edges 21 and intermediate stripsQ2 obviously may be bent on edge or corrugated if desired. Where theslits of the two converging series of a section do not meet in thecenter but leave a strip such as 32 as shown. these central strips mayalso be longitudinally grooved or corrugated if desired either before orafter slitting.

The slitting or cutting tools proper are carried by a gate holder 50 anda bed holder 5l and in the preferred form consist of a series of movableand stationary cutter blocks which are all alike and similarlysupported. As these tools are subjected to pcculiar stresses inoperation and tend to work loose and become distorted, it is necessaryto construct them so that they can be accurately adjusted and rigidlysupported so as to avoid undue wear and consequent loss of time andmaterial and expense in repair and adjustment, ctc. Each cutter 52 isconstructed as illustrated by the perspective view of Fig. 5 ofwedge-shape, flat on the top and bottom and inclined on the sides to thepoint The sides are each provided with a series of grooves 5l which thusinterrupt the cutting edges 55 and 56 and afford a series of shortcutting edges to cory respond with the number of slits to be formed ineach row of slits, in this case four. The cross grooves 54 intersect thevertical grooves 54 so as to effect the cutting without tearing themetal.

The upper and lower holders each consists of a solid block with a numberof wedgeshape recesses 57 for receiving the cutters. Each cutter is heldin place by two dogs. The toe dog 58 is cylindrical and fits in acylindrically drilled hole 58 in the holder and is held down by a screwsuch as 59 which passes freely through the dog and screws into a tappedhole 59 in the holder. This toe dog has a lug 60 which fits into atransverse slot 6l in. the toe of the cutter.

dog 62 which has a flange 63 which fits in a slot 64: in the heel of thecutter. This dog is forced down toward the end of the cutter so as toforce the cutter into its recess in the fholder by means of Ia clampbolt 65 which passes through the flange 66 of the holder. A locking nutor clamping nut 67 is provided on this bolt. The dog 62 is clamped tothe holder by a screw such as 68. This construction insures a propercentering and clamping of the cutter and prevents it from working looseor being twisted out of place.

Between each two of the lower stationary die cutters may be arranged alifting plate 70 supported on pins 71 which rest on buttons 72 eachpressed upward by a spring 73 and screw 7 4. The tops of these lifterplates are normally on a level with or slightly above the tops ofthestationary cutters.

The movable cutters are mounted eX- actly like the lower cutters and arearranged over the lifter plates to fit between the lower cutters, andtheir vertical cutting edges coact, the grooves 54 of the upper andlower cutters being in alinement. A stripper plate 75 has a series offingers 76 which are arranged somewhat above the tops of the lower diecutters.

The stock should be guided between the upper and lower dies forinstance, by guides such as 77 on each side. The lifter plates 70 forcethe metal stock upward after each stroke and free it from the lower diecutters while the stripper fingers 76 strip the material from the upperdies in case it adheres to them in thelr retracting movement. Theslitting of course slightly displaces parts of the strands from theiroriginal plane but the lifters can be adjusted to substantially flattenthe stock after each stroke.

A zig-zag row of short slits is formed at each stroke of the press. Itwill be noted i that the strands are formed by the rear edges of theupper cutters slicing past the front edges of the lower cutters. Thestock is therefore free to be fed forward even if the cut strands arenot lifted above the edges of the lower cutters after the cuttingstroke. This also avoids wear on the cutters.

The length of the slits and consequently the length of the bonds betweenthem depends upon the size of the grooves 54 and 54 and may be varied byvarying the width of the ends of the groove. By altering the length ofthe feed of the stock between slitting strokes, the width of the strandscan be readily varied. By leaving out some of the upper slittingcutterssuch as the one at the edge of the gate holder and the alternateinterior ones, broad unslitted strips will be left in the stock suitablefor deep grooving or folding to form deep ribs or beams. These broadunslitted strips may be perforated The heel of each cutter is held by aheel (for improving the bonding effect in the plaster or concrete) bymeans of punches such as 80 and dies such as 81 arranged in line withthe position of the upper slitter which is omitted (see Figs. 3 and Ll).The stripper plate 75 may be perforated at 82 to admit the punch 80 andthe die holder 51 may have a flaring discharge opening 83 for thepunchings.

It will be noted that each slitting cutter except the marginal lowercutters coperates with two other cutters to form two oppositely.inclined rows of slits. In case alternate upper cutters are omitted,however, then each remaining upper cutter coperates with two of thelower cutters to form the inclined rows of slits in a section to beslitted and unslitted strips will be left where the upper cutters areomitted. In case only the marginal lower slitting cutter is omitted anunslitted strip will be left whose width will equal the width of thestrip 21 plus one-half the width of the slitted section 20.

It will be obvious that different lengths of slits may be produced bysimply substituting different `slitting blocks with the appropriate edgegrooves. Theangle between the inclined rows of strands of course dependsupon the angle of the cutting faces of the slitting blocks. The width ofthe end 53 of each upper cutter determines the width of the unslittedstrip 32. So also the width of the corresponding end of each lowercutter determines the width of the unslitted strip 22.

It should be understood that this process of'slitting is equally welladapted to the slitting of plain, flat sheets orv sheets provided withribs between the portions to be slitted. It should also be understoodthat the slitted product of these tools is flat or substantially fiatwithout any material openings, and is intended to be expanded or openedout in a subsequent step either in the same or in a separate machine.

This application is a continuation of my application #741,376 filedJanuary 11, 1913 as to all matter herein shown and claimed except as tothe punches 80 and dies 8:2 for perforating the non-expansive portionsof the stock.

lhat I claim is 1. In a metal Working machine, a cutter holder having aseries of V-shaped recesses, wedge-shaped cutters located in saidrecesses and having interrupted cutting edges and slots in their frontand rear edges respectively, a toe dog having a lug engaging in the slotin the toe of each cutter and a heel dog having a flange engaging in theslot in the rear of each cutter.

2. In a metal Working machine, a cutter holder having a series ofV-shaped recesses, wedge-shaped cutters located in said recesses andhaving interrupted cutting edges and slots in their front and rear edgesrespectively, a toe dog having a lug engaging in the slot in the toe ofeach cutter and a heel dog having a flange engaging in the slot in therear of each cutter and means for forcing said heel dog against saidcutter.

3. In a metal Working machine, a cutter holder having a series ofV-shaped recesses with cylindrical recesses intersecting the apices ofthe Vs and a transverse recess at the base of the Vs, Wedge-shapedcutter blocks located in said V-shaped recesses, cylindrical toe dogs insaid cylindrical recesses for holding the toes of said blocks and heeldogs in said transverse recess Jfor holding the heels of said blocks.

l. In a metal' working machine, a cutter holder having a series ofV-shaped recesses with verticalrecesses intersecting the apices of theVs and a transverse recess at the base of the Vs, wedge-shaped cutterblocks located in said V-shapedl recesses, toe dogs in said verticalrecesses for holdingvthe toes ot' said blocks, heel dogs in saidtransverse recess tor holding the heels of said blocks and screws forclamping said dogs to said holder.

In a metal working machine, a cutter holder having a series of V-shapedrecesses with recesses intersecting the apices of the.

V`s and a transverse recess at the base of the Vs, wedge-shaped cutterblocks located in said V-shaped recesses, toe dogs in said intersectingrecesses for holding the toes of said blocks, heel dogs in saidtransverse recess for holding the heels of said blocks, screws forclamping said dogs to said holder and means for forcing said heel dogstoward said cutter blocks.

6. In a metal working machine, a cutter holder having a series ofV-shaped recesses with recesses intersecting the apices of the Vs andatransverse recess at the base vof the Vs, wedge-shaped cutter blockslocated in said V-shaped recesses, toe dogs in said intersectingrecesses for holding the toes of said blocks, heel dogs in saidtransverse recess for holding the heels of said blocks and springpressed lifter plates arranged between said cutter blocks.

7. In a metal working machine, a cutter holder having a series ofV-shaped recesses with recesses intersecting the apices of the Vs and atransverse recess at the base of the Vs,- Wedge-shaped cutter blockslocated in said V-shaped recesses, toe dogs in said intersectingrecesses for holding the toes of said blocks, heel dogs in saidtransverse recess for holding the heels of said blocks, spring pressedlifter plat-es arranged between said cutter blocks and a stripper platehaving ngers projecting over said cutter blocks.

8. Inra metal slitting machine, a holder, a. set of wedge-shaped cutterscarried thereby and having oppositely inclined cutting edges, a movableholder and a set of wedgeshaped cutters carried thereby and havingoppositely inclined cutting edges, the cutting edges of one of said setsbeing interrupted for producing short slits in staggered arrangement.

9. In a metal slitting machine, a stationary holder, a plurality ofcutters secured thereto and each having a plurality of short straightcutting edges in alinement, adjacent cutters having their cutting edgesinclined in opposite directions to the line of feed, a movable holder,and cutters carried thereby coacting and interchangeable with thestationary cutters.

l0. In a metal slitting machine, a solid cutter block ofinateriallygreater width at one end than at the other and having a series ofrelatively short cutting edges along opposite edges of the block in acommon plane.

l1. As an article of manufacture, a cutter for a slitting machine, saidcutter comprising a solid block wider at one end than at the other andwith sides inclined toward each other forming oppositely inclinedcutting edges on one face, said sides being grooved and one face havinggrooves intersecting the side grooves.

12. As an article of manufacture, a cutter for a slitting machine, saidcutter comprising a solid block wider at one end than at the other andwith sides inclined toward each other forming oppositely inclinedcutting edges on one face, said 'sides being grooved.

13. In a metal slitting mechanism, a set of stationary cutters withoppositely inclined, substantially straight slitting edges arranged inzig-zag outline across the direction of feed at the front of saidcutters, and a movable set of cutters with oppositely inclinedsubstantially straight slitting edges leaving nnslitted strips at themargins and arranged 1n similar Zig-Zag outllne at the along mter1orportions of the sheet.

rear of said movable cutters vthe edfres of T l, 1 f the cutters of oneof said sets of cnttenrs be- BORRlS ELMORL CLARK ing interrupted andarranged to eoact with Witnesses:

the other set to forni Zig-zag rows of short R. W. RYDER,

slits inclined to the direction of feed ard MARSHALL P RYDER.

